Method and system for renewing screen

ABSTRACT

There is provided a screen update method and system including: a first step of identifying image resource data associated with a first image update event from a predetermined basic recording space in case that the first image update event occurs, a second step of loading the identified image resource data in a buffer space including a plurality of buffers, in which the image resource data are loaded in rotation on the buffer by a frame, respectively, a third step of sequentially determining the image resource data loaded on the buffer for each the buffer, rendering the determined image resource data, and generating a first image at a first frame rate, a fourth step of generating a second image associated with a second image update event at a second frame rate in case that the second image update event occurs, a fifth step of compositing the first image with the second image to generate an entire image, and a sixth step of displaying the entire image on a predetermined display means.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/731,006, filed Jun. 4, 2015, which in turn is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/228,325, filed onSep. 8, 2011, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/571,356, filed onDec. 27, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,035,649, which is the National StageEntry of International Application No. PCT/KR2005/002018, filed on Jun.28, 2005, and claims priority from and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2004-0049556, filed on Jun. 29, 2004, all of whichare hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully setforth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a screen update method and system, andmore particularly, to a screen update method and system, in which twosorts of images are generated at a different update period by methodsdifferent from each other and the two images are composed to update ascreen.

Discussion of the Background

The present invention relates to a screen update method and system, andmore particularly, to a screen update method and system, in which twosorts of images are generated at a different update period by methodsdifferent from each other and the two images are composed to update ascreen.

The real-time rendering is updating a screen by generating image fromimage resource data in real time. Generally, the real-time renderingmeans that an image is updated at an update speed not less than 15[frames/second] such that a user looking at the image sensesinteractivity. Particularly, there are many cases in a network gameservice that a game screen having a rapid update speed of 30[frames/second] in order to provide a natural game screen to a gamer.

However, in case that a three-dimensional image is rendered in realtime, and particularly, a three-dimensional image is rendered in realtime at a high update speed in a game screen, since not only the amountof image resource data to be processed in unit time is large but alsothe amount of computation processed by a graphic processing unit (GPU)is sharply increased, a method of keeping an update speed of 30[frames/second] is greatly required.

However, in case that an image forming a game screen is generated, aprocess of generating the image can be divided into various steps andthere exists not only a case in which each of the steps is performed intime series but also each of the step is performed in parallel.

In case that a process of generating an image is formed of Step A, StepB, and Step C and Step B is not performed till Step A is completed butStep C is performed in parallel regardless of Step A or Step C, Step Cis performed in a short time because the amount of computation is notgreat but the image may be not generated because Step A is notcompleted. Namely, Step A and Step B determine the update speed of theimage.

For example, in a 3D Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game(MMORPG) in which a plurality of garners access via network and game, aprocess of updating a 3D object such as the movement of a playercharacter is included in a step having a large amount of computation,such as Step A and a process of displaying the content of a chat textinputted by a gamer on a screen is included in a step having a smallamount of computation and rapidly processed by a video processor, suchas Step C.

In this case, since the movement of the player character and the contentof the chat text are displayed in “one image”, if Step C for displayingthe content of the chat text is rapidly processed and completed, thecontent of the chat text is not updated till Step A for displaying themovement of the player character is completed.

Accordingly, in case that the real-time rendering is not normallyprocessed and a lack phenomenon occurs because a bottleneck phenomenonoccurs or the amount of computation for the real-time rendering israpidly increased, though Step C is completed, an unnatural game screen,even a freeze picture, is provided to a gamer due to a delay of Step A.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Goals

According to the present invention, there is provided a screen updatemethod and system, in which at least two sorts of images which can berespectively generated by different processors by using differentmethods are generated at a different update speed and the at least twoimages are composed, thereby updating a full image.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a screenupdate method and system, in which respective processes to be processedfor embodying a full image are divided for each update speed andindependently processed, thereby preventing the update speed of the fullimage from being reduced together with a slowest process.

According to the present invention, there is provided a screen updatemethod and system, in which an image area that has to be rapidlyresponded to a request of a gamer, such as displaying the content of achat text and displaying the movement of a mouse point can be updated athigher speed in rendering a game screen and if a lack is generated ingenerating a three-dimensional image, there is no bad effect in updatingthe image.

Technical Solutions

To achieve the goals and solve the problems of conventional methods, thepresent invention provides a screen update method including: a firststep of identifying image resource data associated with a first imageupdate event from a predetermined basic recording space in case that thefirst image update event occurs; a second step of loading the identifiedimage resource data in a buffer space including a plurality of buffers,in which the image resource data are loaded in rotation on the buffer bya frame, respectively; a third step of sequentially determining theimage resource data loaded on the buffer for each the buffer, renderingthe determined image resource data, and generating a first image at afirst frame rate; a fourth step of generating a second image associatedwith a second image update event at a second frame rate in case that thesecond image update event occurs; a fifth step of compositing the firstimage with the second image to generate an entire image; and a sixthstep of displaying the entire image on a predetermined display means.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided. Ascreen update system, including: a basic recording space for storingimage resource data; an identification means identifying image resourcedata associated with a first image update event from the basic recordingspace in case that the first image update event occurs; a loading meanssequentially loading the identified image resource data for each bufferby a frame in a buffer space including a plurality of the buffers; afirst image generating means sequentially determining the image resourcedata loaded on the buffer, rendering the determined image resource data,and generating a first image at a first frame rate; a second imagegenerating means generating a second image associated with a secondimage update event at a second frame rate in case that the second imageupdate event occurs; and a display means generating an entire image bycompositing the first image with the second image and displaying theentire image on a predetermined display means.

Terms Used in the Present Specification

1) First Image

A first image is generated at a predetermined first frame rate, which isgenerated via loading predetermined image resource data and renderingthe image resource data. Namely, the first image is a 3-D imagegenerated via general real-time rendering.

2) Second Image

A second image is generated at a predetermined second frame rate, whichcan be generated in s relatively shorter time than the first image. Forexample, the second image includes an image for displaying the contentof a chat on a screen according to the input of a chat text, performedby a user, or displaying a mouse point on a screen according to themovement of a mouse, performed by a user.

3) First Frame Rate and Second Frame Rate

As described above, since the second image can be generated in arelatively shorter time than the first image, a second update period isgenerally shorter than a first update period. For example, the firstframe rate and the second frame rate may be determined such that thesecond image is updated at an update speed of 60 [frames/second] and thefirst image is updated at an update speed of 30 [frames/second].

4) Loaded in Rotation on a Buffer

A processor means loads image resource data in rotation on a pluralityof buffers from a basic recording space. For example, in a case wheretwo buffers such as a first buffer and a second buffer are used, theimage resource data is sequentially loaded on each of the buffers, suchas the first buffer→the second buffer→the first buffer→, which isindicated as a term of “loaded in rotation”.

5) Image Resource Data

Image resource data includes data used for rendering in order to updatea screen, which are used for embodying dynamic characters such as aplayer character and a Non-Player Character (NPC) and static charactersforming the scenery of a game, such as mountains and rivers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network connection of a systemperforming a screen update method according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a screen update methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first image accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second image accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a screen update system accordingto an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the inside of a general use computerapparatus that can be employed in performing the screen update methodaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Hereinafter, a screen update method and system will be described indetail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network connection of the screenupdate system performing the screen update method according to thepresent invention. Hereinafter, though it is described as an examplethat the screen update system updates a game screen, the presentinvention may be applied to all of updating screen by using real-timerendering in addition to the game screen.

A screen update system 100 is an apparatus for updating a screen bygenerating an image associated with an image update event when the imageupdate event with respect to a predetermined game area is generated. Thescreen update system 100 may be embodied in a terminal means 125 drivinga Role Playing Game (RPG) requiring embodying various images withrespect to image resource data according to a position of a playercharacter, and more particularly, a Massively Multi-player Online RolePlaying Game (MMORPG) in which a plurality of gamers simultaneously runa game via online in broadband game area. Though it is illustrated thatthe screen update system 100 of the present invention is embodied in theRPG, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the screen updatesystem 100 may be applied to all image realization fields associatedwith image realization on a display means. Also, the screen updatesystem 100 may be embodied in the inside or outside of the terminalmeans 125. In the present invention, it is illustrated for convenienceof description that the screen update system 100 is installed in apredetermined terminal means of a gamer 120 and updates an image withrespect to a predetermined game area.

An online game server 110 may designate a game service server associatedwith MMORPG, which is connected to the terminal means 125 of the gamer120 via a communication network 130 and provides a game service to thegamer 120 via online. In case that the gamer 120 accesses the onlinegame server 110 by using the terminal means 125 equipped with a programassociated with a game, a predetermined game-running data or a gamefetch is transmitted to the terminal means 125 and the game service inthe online game server 110 may be provided via the program associatedwith the game driven by the transmitted game-running data or game fetch.Also, the online game server 110 gives authority to control theoperation of a predetermined player character to the gamer 120 such thatthe gamer 120 can control the operation of the player character, therebyproviding a full-scale game service.

The gamer 120 is connected to the screen update system 100 via thecommunication network 130 and may have the terminal means 125 foraccessing the communication network 130. The gamer 120 may perform theoperations of controlling the operation of the player character, movinga mouse, and selecting an item for running the game. An updated imagemay be received from the screen update system 100 according to theoperation of the gamer 120.

The terminal means 125 commonly designates a device capable of accessinga wired/wireless communication network, which is a terminal includingoperation ability by including a memory means and equipped with a microprocessor, such as a desktop PC, a notebook PC, a PDA, and a mobilecommunication terminal.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a screen update methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. The screen updatemethod according to the present embodiment is performed by the screenupdate system 100.

In Step 201, a gamer generates a first image update event. A first imageis generated by rendering image resource data in order to display athree-dimensional image in the game. Hereinafter, the first image andthe first image update event will be described in detail with referenceto FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first image accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

The first image indicates an image displayed in three-dimensions in thegame, such as a player character 301, Non-Player Character (NPC) 302,and a dynamic scene 303. The first image update event is generated by ascreen update request for changing the operation of a three-dimensionalimage, such as moving a position or battle action with respect to thefirst images 301, 302, and 303.

The screen update request means a screen update request with respect tothe first image that is rendered for relatively longer time than asecond image, namely, whose image update period is relatively longer.For example, in case that a battle occurs between the player character301 and the NPC 302 or between the player characters or a screen has tobe updated due to a change of the operation of the player character 301and the NPC 302, the first image update event on the first image isgenerated.

In case that the first image update event is generated, the screenupdate system 100 identifies the image resource data associated with thefirst image update event from a predetermined basic recording space inStep 202. Step 202 is a process of recognizing the image resource datarequiring screen update in the basic recording space. In this case, theimage update event may be generated in association with changing aposition of the player character in the game.

Next, in Step 203, the identified image resource data is loaded on abuffer space including a plurality of buffers. The image resource dataare loaded in rotation on the buffers by a frame, respectively. Thefirst image of a frame is used for generating a full image as following.

In the present embodiment, it is described as an example that the bufferspace for loading the image resource data includes two buffers such as afirst buffer and a second buffer. On the other hand, a buffer spaceincluding not less than three buffers according to embodiments. Also,the basic recording space and the buffer space may be embodied in arecording device that is physically or logically distinguished.

The screen update system 100 sequentially loads the identified imageresource data on the first buffer and the second buffer by a frame. Forexample, in case that the first image of thirty frames are sequentiallygenerated from a first frame to a thirtieth frame, respectively, if theimage resource data corresponding to the first frame is loaded on thefirst buffer, the image resource data corresponding to the second framemay be loaded on the second buffer. As following, after the first imageis generated by using the image resource data loaded on the firstbuffer, the image resource data corresponding to a third frame is loadedon the first buffer. As described above, the image resource datacorresponding to each frame is sequentially loaded, repeatedly on thefirst buffer and the second buffer.

Namely, the image resource data from the first frame to the thirtiethframe are loaded in order on the first buffer and second buffer in turnand are rendered in order to guarantee to sequentially update the firstimage, thereby providing a natural game screen to the gamer.

In Step 204, the screen update system 100 generates the first image at afirst frame rate by sequentially rendering the image resource dataloaded on the buffer space from each buffer. Step 204 is repeated whilethe first image update event is maintained. For example, in a case ofthe movement of the player character, Step 204 is repeated until theplayer character is moved to a position that the gamer wants. On theother hand, the first image generated as described above forms the gamescreen together with the second image generated as following.

The first frame rate is associated with a speed of generating/updatingthe first image. For example, 30 [frames/second] may be selected. Sincea computation for real-time rendering a three-dimensional image requirestime relatively much more than rendering a two-dimensional image ortext, it is difficult by using a current technology that the first imageis updated at a frame rate not less than 30 [frames/second] in theterminal means having the extras as a degree of a computer used by ageneral user, such as PC. However, if the update speed of 30[frames/second] is guaranteed, the gamer receives a fully natural gamescreen.

On the other hand, while the first image update event is generated, thescreen update system 100 generates/updates the first image by a frame,respectively, by continuously rendering the image resource data loadedon the buffer space.

Particularly, the screen update system 100 generates the first imagecorresponding to the first frame by rendering the image resource datacorresponding to the first frame loaded on the first buffer from aplurality of buffers and generates the first image corresponding to thesecond frame by rendering the image resource data corresponding to thesecond frame loaded on the second buffer while the generated first imageis displayed. The first image is updated by a method of replacing thefirst image corresponding to the first frame with the first imagecorresponding to the second frame.

Next, in Step 205, the gamer generates a second image update event. Thesecond image generated according to the second image update event is animage that may be generated more rapidly than the first image. In somecases, the second image may be generated without rendering. Hereinafter,the second image and the second image update event will be described indetail with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second image accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The second image indicates animage changed according to moving a mouse pointer by the gamer,inputting a conversation (chat text) of a chat window 401, inputting agamer interface of an item selecting window 403, or input associatedwith an inventory window 402 that shows condition information of an itemof the gamer to run the game. The second images 401, 402, and 403 do notrequire time to be used in rendering for updating an image or rendering,namely, an image whose update period may be determined to be very short.

In Step 206, the screen update system 100 generates the second imageaccording to the second image update event at a second frame rate. Step206 is repeated while the second image update event is continued.

For example, in case that a gamer selects an item included in theinventory window 402, the second image update event occurs. The screenupdate system 100 moves the mouse for selecting an item and directlygenerates the second image to reflect on the game screen, instead ofloading the image resource data associated with displaying the selecteditem on the buffer space.

The second frame rate is associated with an update speed of generatingand updating the second image and is measured as the number of framesdisplayed per unit time.

Since the second image is generated without being loaded on the buffermeans and there is small amount of computation required to generate thesecond image, the second image may be generated at higher speed than thefirst image. Since the second image does not need to be rendered, or if,rendering is required, the amount of computation is not large, thesecond image may be real-time updated at relatively higher frame ratethan the first image. Accordingly, the second frame rate may be selectedat [60 frames/second] that is more than the first frame. Also, while thesecond image update event occurs, the second image is continuouslygenerated/updated and reflected on the game screen in real time.

In Step 207, the screen update system 100 generates a full image bycomposing the first image with the second image. In this case, a methodof overlapping the first image with the second image may be used as amethod of composing the first image with the second image. For example,in case that the area besides the second image (401, 402, and 403) ofFIG. 4 is blank and the second image is overlapped with the first image,the second image is displayed in the blank area, which is the simplestmethod of composing.

Also, a composition method may be used, in which an area forming thefull image is distinguished into a first area and the second area andthe first image is displayed in the first area and the second image isdisplayed in the second area.

Since the first image and the second image are independently generatedvia a different process, respectively, as described above, the fullimage updates every time in case that only the first image is updated oronly the second image is updated. Also, according to the presentembodiment, in case that only the first image is updated, the full imageis updated at the first frame rate, in case that the only the secondimage is updated, the full image is updated at the second frame rate,and in case that the first image and the second image are simultaneouslyupdated, the full image includes an area updated at the first frame rateand an area updated at the second frame rate, respectively.

In case that the first image update event and the second image updateevent simultaneously occur, for example, in case that an NPC approacheswhile the gamer inputs texts in a chat window, since the first image isgenerated at the update speed of 60 [frames/second] and the second imageis generated at the update speed of 30 [frames/second], which is slowerthan the update speed of the first image, the second image is alreadygenerated and applied to the full image while the first image of thefirst frame is being rendered.

After the second image is already applied to the full image, the firstimage that is rendered is applied to the full image, thereby updatingthe full image.

In Step 208, the screen update system 100 displays the full imagegenerated as described above on a display means of the terminal means.

To compare the screen update system 100 according to the presentinvention with a conventional method, the advantage of the screen updatemethod according to the present invention is clearly known. Since, in aconventional screen update system, in case that Step C (for example,displaying the content of a chat text) and Step A (for example, themovement of a player character) have to be simultaneously processed, agame screen is updated when Step A and Step C are all finished, the gamescreen is updated at an update speed selected according to theprocessing speed of step A, which requires much time.

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, since Step A ofgenerating the first image and Step C of generating the second image areindependently processed, respectively, in case that the second image isupdated and the first image is not necessary to be updated, the fullimage can be more rapidly updated because the update speed of the gamescreen is determined the processing speed of Step C.

Particularly, in case that a lag occurs in real-time rendering, namely,Step A can not be normally processed due to a hindrance occurring in aprocess of performing Step A, it is difficult to generate in theconventional technology. However, according to the present embodiment,the second image is generated by normally processing Step C and theupdate of the second image can be reflected on the full image, therebyproviding a response with respect to a part of a screen update requestto the gamer.

Since gamers feel more oppressed in case that the second image isnormally updated, such as the content of the chat text is not normallydisplayed or the movement speed of the mouse point becomes seriouslyslow, though the first image is updated at less than 30 [frames/second]due to the lack phenomenon, it is very important to normally update thesecond image.

Also, in the described embodiment, though it is described that twoimages such as the first image and second image are generated andupdated, respectively, the scope of the present invention includes allconstruction in which at least two images, such as a first image, asecond image, and a third image, are selected and each image isgenerated and composed at different update speed to generate a fullimage.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a screen update system accordingto another embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a screen update system 500 includes a basicrecording space 501, an identification means 502, a loading means 503, afirst image generating means 504, a second image generating means 505,and a display means 506.

The basic recording space 501 is a unit for storing image resource data,which is a logical and physical recording means for storing the imageresource data required in rendering for a screen update event.

The identification means 502 identifies image resource data associatedwith a first image update event from the basic recording space 501 incase that the first image update event occurs. For example, in case thata player character moves in a predetermined direction, image resourcedata corresponding to an area to move is identified.

The loading means 503 sequentially loads the image resource dataidentified in the identification means by a frame on each buffer in abuffer space including a plurality of buffers.

The first image generating means 504 sequentially determines and rendersthe image resource data loaded on each of the buffer for each buffer,thereby generating a first image. The first image generating means 504generates the first image at a first frame rate and repeatedly performsa process of generating and updating the first image while the firstimage update event is maintained.

The second image generating means 505 generates a second imageassociated with a second image update event in case that the secondimage update event occurs. The second image generating means 505generates the second image at a second frame rate and repeatedlyperforms a process of generating and updating the second image while thesecond image update event is maintained. The second image does notrequire a process of rendering or, if the process of rendering isrequired, a time required to generate the second image is relativelysmaller than the first image because the amount of computation is notgreat. Accordingly, the second frame rate may be set up as relativelyhigher value than the first frame rate.

The display means 506 generates a full image by compositing the firstimage and the second image and displays the full image in a displaymeans of the terminal means 125, such as a monitor. For example, thefull image may be generated by overlapping the first image with thesecond image.

In the full image described above, since the first image and the secondimage are updated at a different update speed, such as the first framerate or the second frame rate, the second image displaying the contentof a chat text is reflected on the full image at a higher speed than thefirst image.

Also, the embodiments of the present invention include a computerreadable medium including a program instruction for executing variousoperations realized by a computer. The computer readable medium mayinclude a program instruction, a data file, and a data structure,separately or cooperatively. The program instructions and the media maybe those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of thepresent invention, or they may be of the kind well known and availableto those skilled in the art of computer software arts.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the inside of a general use computerapparatus that can be employed in performing the screen update methodaccording to the present invention.

A computer apparatus 600 includes at least one processor 601 connectedto a main memory device including a RAM (Random Access Memory) 602 and aROM (Read Only Memory) 603. The processor 601 is also called as acentral processing unit CPU. As well-known to the field of the art, theROM 603 unidirectionally transmits data and instructions to the CPU, andthe RAM 602 is generally used for bidirectionally transmitting data andinstructions. The RAM 602 and the ROM 603 may include a certain properform of a computer readable recording medium. A mass storage device 604is bidirectionally connected to the processor 601 to provide additionaldata storage capacity and may be one of the computer readable recordingmedium. The mass storage device 604 is used for storing programs anddata and is an auxiliary memory. A particular mass storage device suchas a CD ROM 606 may be used. The processor 601 is connected to at leastone input/output interface 605 such as a video monitor, a track ball, amouse, a keyboard, a microphone, a touch-screen type display, a cardreader, a magnetic or paper tape reader, a voice or hand-writingrecognizer, a joy stick, and other known computer input/output unit. Theprocessor 601 may be connected to a wired or wireless communicationnetwork via a network interface 607. The procedure of the describedmethod can be performed via the network connection. The describeddevices and tools are well-known to those skilled in the art of computerhardware and software.

The described hardware devices may be formed to be operated by at leastone software module in order to perform the operations of the presentinvention.

Hereinafter, the rendering used in the present invention will beschematically described. The rendering is one of methods of generatingan image. For example, the rendering may be used for generating anactual graphic image by realizing a three-dimensional texture such asthe variance in colors and density.

Real-time rendering means that images are rapidly generated in computer,which is one of areas in which a mutual action with a user is mostactive in computer graphics. A speed of displaying an image may bemeasured by a frames per second:fps. In case that an image is displayedat a speed not less than 15 frames/second as described above, it may becalled as real-time rendering. On the other hand, since users can notsense a difference in speed when the speed is more than 75frames/second, it is not necessary to aimlessly increase an imagedisplay speed.

The substantial purpose of real-time rendering is to generate anddisplay an image at a speed that can improve a visual appearance of anobject as an image and make a user to sense proper interactivity. Inthis case, various methods may be used. Particularly, the interactivitymay be embodied by acceleration algorithms.

For example, in the real-time rendering, a method of giving a definitionof a material and light in order to improve the visual appearance andimproving the definition via anti-aliasing, gamma correction, advancedlighting, and shading.

Also, the real-time rendering may use texturing as the accelerationalgorithms. The texturing is performed by a method of covering an imageon the surface of an object. Culling and pipeline optimization methodare used as other examples of the acceleration algorithms.

Though the rendering is schematically described in the above, methodscapable of being used in rendering are not limited as described above.Namely, the screen update system according to the present invention mayrender by using all methods of rendering, such as not only conventionalmethods of rendering also newly developed rendering methods. It is trulysaid that the described above belongs to the scope of the presentinvention.

Now, various methods of rendering are rapidly researched, in whichhigh-quality image is rendered at a speed in which high interactivitycan be sensed and a load on a system for rendering is minimized. In casethat the conditions as described are complementary to each other, aproper method may be selected by a system designer according to the use,the extras, and the environment of a system.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the presentinvention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteaching.

Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined bythe claims appended thereto and their equivalents.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with theembodiment of the present invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, it is not limited thereto since it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and changesmay be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention.

As used in this application, the term “module” is intended to refer to,but is not limited to, a software or hardware component, which performscertain tasks. A module or component may advantageously be configured toreside on the addressable storage medium and configured to execute onone or more processors. Thus, a module or component may include, by wayof example, components, such as software components, object-orientedsoftware components, class components and task components, processes,functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of programcode, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, datastructures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functionality providedfor in the components and modules may be combined into fewer componentsand modules or further separated into additional components and modules.Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novelinvention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspectsof the present invention are not limited by the particular details ofthe examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated thatother modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occurto those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” andsimilar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in thesense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Manychanges, modifications, variations and other uses and applications ofthe present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilledin the art after considering the specification and the accompanyingdrawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses andapplications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of theinvention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limitedonly by the claims which follow. The scope of the disclosure is notintended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to beaccorded the full scope consistent with the claims, wherein reference toan element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one”unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structuraland functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodimentsdescribed throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to beknown to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporatedherein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims.Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to thepublic regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited inthe claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of35 U.S.C. Section 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expresslyrecited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim,the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, there is provided a screen updatemethod and system, in which at least two sorts of images which can berespectively generated by different processors by using differentmethods are generated at a different update speed and the at least twoimages are composed, thereby updating a full image.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a screenupdate method and system, in which respective processes to be processedfor embodying a full image are divided for each update speed anddependently processed, thereby preventing the update speed of the fullimage from being reduced together with a slowest process.

According to the present invention, there is provided a screen updatemethod and system, in which an image area that has to be rapidlyresponded to a request of a gamer, such as displaying the content of achat text and displaying the movement of a mouse point can be updated athigher speed in rendering a game screen and if a lack is generated ingenerating a three-dimensional image, there is no bad effect in updatingthe image.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of updating images displayed on adisplay device, executed by at least one processor, the methodcomprising: identifying, by at least one processor, image resource dataassociated with an update event for a first image from a basic recordingspace when the update event for the first image occurs, the first imagecomprising an image displayed in three-dimensions in a game; generating,by at least one processor, the update event for the first image by ascreen update request; loading, by the at least one processor, theidentified image resource data in a buffer space including a pluralityof buffers; generating, by at least one processor, the first image at afirst frame rate by sequentially rendering the loaded image resourcedata; generating, by at least one processor, a second image associatedwith an update event for the second image at a second frame rate whenthe update event for the second image occurs, the second image isgenerated without being rendered; compositing, by at least oneprocessor, the first image with the second image; and updating, by atleast one processor, at least a portion of the display device to displaythe composite image, wherein the first frame rate is less than thesecond frame rate, wherein image resource data of the second image isnot loaded in the buffer space, and wherein the step generating thefirst image is repeated while the update event for the first imagelasts.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image resource data for thefirst image is loaded in rotation on the buffer space by frame,respectively.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second imagecomprises an image for displaying a chat or a mouse pointer movement ina game.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second image furthercomprises an item selecting window including item state information. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein: the first image comprises one of aplayer character, a Non-Player Character (NPC), and a dynamic scene in athree dimensional network game.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein: thescreen update request comprises one of changing the operation of athree-dimensional image or a user input, and wherein the screen updaterequest comprises moving a position or action of the first image.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the three dimensional network game comprisesa Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) comprising aplurality of users simultaneously participating via online in abroadband game area.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofcompositing the first image with the second image includes a step ofgenerating the composited image by overlapping the first image with thesecond image.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generatingthe second image is repeated while the update event for the second imagelasts.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein a user input initiates theupdate event for the second image.
 11. The method of claim 1, whereinthe composited image comprises a full image, when only the update eventfor the first image occurs, only the first image is updated and the fullimage is updated at the first frame rate, when only the update event forthe second image occurs, only the second image is updated and the fullimage is updated at the second frame rate, and when the first image andthe second image are simultaneously updated, the full image includes afirst area updated at the first frame rate and a second area updated atthe second frame rate.
 12. A non-transitory computer readable storagemedium encoded with a program for executing the method recited inclaim
 1. 13. A system for updating images displayed on a display device,the system comprising: a basic recording space to store image resourcedata; and at least one processor comprising: an identification moduleconfigured to identify image resource data associated with an updateevent for a first image from the basic recording space when the updateevent for the first image occurs, the first image comprising an imagedisplayed in three-dimensions in a game and the update event beinggenerated by an update request to change the first image, a loadingmodule configured to sequentially load the identified image resourcedata for each buffer by frame in a buffer space including a plurality ofthe buffers, a first image generating module configured to sequentiallydetermine the image resource data loaded on the buffer, to render thedetermined image resource data, and to generate the first image at afirst frame rate, and a second image generating module configured togenerate a second image associated with a second image update event at asecond frame rate when the update event for the second image occurs, thesecond image is generated without being rendered; and a display moduleconfigured to generate a composited image by compositing the first imagewith the second image and to display the composited image on apredetermined display module, wherein the first frame rate being lessthan the second frame rate, wherein the image resource data of thesecond image is not loaded in the buffer space, and wherein the firstimage and the second image are generated by different processors byusing different methods at a different update speed.
 14. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the second image comprising an image for displaying achat or a mouse pointer movement in a game.
 15. The system of claim 13,wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor and asecond processor, and the first image and the second image are generatedby the first and second processors respectively by using differentmethods at a different update speed.
 16. The system of claim 13, whereinthe composited image comprises a full image, when only the update eventfor the first image occurs, only the first image is updated and the fullimage is updated at the first frame rate, when only the update event forthe second image occurs, only the second image is updated and the fullimage is updated at the second frame rate, and when the first image andthe second image are simultaneously updated, the full image includes afirst area updated at the first frame rate and a second area updated atthe second frame rate.